Transverse

midoula · 02-02-2007, 08:08 AM

I have a client that is due at the very end of April. Her baby is in transverse position. Her doc is saying baby may already be "stuck" since her torso is short. I would love to give her ideas on turning the baby. I have read all the ideas about turning a breech baby. Would the same things work for transverse? Is there anything else to try?

Chiropractor is out of the question for her. She has back issues already and had a bad experience with a chiro. She is also not interested in external version--I don't blame her!

truelife · 02-02-2007, 08:25 AM

Yes, the same techniques you would use to get a breech baby to turn you could use to get a transverse baby to turn. I have had two transverse babies turn for me.

The best place to start is the catbacks/pelvic tilts on hands and knees to help tone the abdominal muscles that are still there and are working. As many times a day as she can do them the better. I had both of my mom's on the birth ball around the clock. Sitting on it, leaning on it, lightly bouncing, etc.

Both of my moms also did the slanted ironing board (with assitance of course). That's the one where you place one end of the ironing board on the couch and the other on the floro and have mom lay upside down. One of the babies turned in this position and the mom said it was very uncomfortable when he did.

The other baby turned doing a combination of the rebozo, and massaging the baby around using hot and cold packs very close together. Midwife and I used the Rebozo to sift Mama's belly while she was on all fours. We did this for a long while and the baby shifted towards ROA and that was a starting point. We then used a low set heating pad on her far right side and kind of chased (VERRRRY Slowly) the baby with ice. Baby went ROA. From that point mom laid on her left side with the heating pad under the blanket and an ice pack on the right side of her back. Baby was extrememly irritated and began to move. This took hours to do but once the baby was in place the mom wore one of those belly cradle/bands and she had the homebirth that she wanted. We did use a fetoscope throughout this to watch the baby's heart.

Sorry this was so long and if it didn't make sense - it's early!

MothertheMother · 02-02-2007, 10:00 AM

and don't forget www.spinningbabies.com Great Resource

ctowndoula · 02-02-2007, 12:32 PM

Two of mine own were transverse, up to 36 and 34 weeks respectively. Just long enough to start getting uncomfortable.

I did use chiro but since that is not an option for her, I only thing I would suggest that is not already mentioned is get her muscles nice and warm with a long walk then do some stretches for the hip flexors (recommending specific stretches is getting close to being out of scope for some doulas so if she can figure it out, you leave it at that). I felt one of my kids move while I was doing this. Huph! I always did it after visiting the chiro, but it might help without that. The chiro is the one that gave me the stretches and all.

helpinghands · 02-02-2007, 05:20 PM

Here is something new I heard about from a 7 time mom..who heard it from her midwife. Her baby was persistantly turning transverse and she was told to do this exercise with her husband each night..to get on all fours like with the pelvic tilt/cat back thing..to have her back straight to start. Then..to let her abdominals "loose" and sag into her dh's cupped hands underneath her..briefly.. then to "gently suck it back in" (I took this to mean then gently tightening her abdominals?" To repeat this 10-15 times each night..more sessions throughout the day if they could be they generally just did it at night. Baby got into a nice lil positon for birth...but had a nuchal hand...nothing related to the positioning exercise, LOL (But this was her smallest baby..so perhaps this had something to do with it).

b'earth angel · 02-03-2007, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by midoula

Chiropractor is out of the question for her. She has back issues already and had a bad experience with a chiro. She is also not interested in external version--I don't blame her!

Well, you've got a lot of great ideas to start with in these other posts, but if all else fails...I had a client go for 2 treatments, WEBSTER tech. and that kept baby there till birth. I wouldn't want to choose between not going to the chiro and ending up w/a section because I was afraid of all chiros because one hurt me. Just my

Just a thought on the matter, what kind of back problems does she have? If this is lower back related it could be contributing to the transverse position. Baby may just be too uncomfortable down there. Maybe worth checking on. HTH.

Boricua · 03-05-2007, 10:43 PM

Thank You All for these ideas. I have a mom 37-38 weeks whose baby just turned transversed on Saturday. She had been doing some very deep squats in her yoga sessions. Could that cause a baby to turn transverse from vertical?? She made an appointment with a chiropractor and is going to check with her doctor tomorrow to OK some inversions. Thanks!!

Petitefleurdoulas · 02-08-2009, 04:11 PM

great thread- just met a mom who is 34 weeks whose OB is less than optimistic for a vaginal birth

which of course is discouraging the mom. (didn't even offer any suggestions.) Anyway- found some great new tips here which I'll mention to her next week.

JackieM · 02-08-2009, 05:23 PM

Yep, as one who babe just flipped from transverse to LOA at 32 weeks (and whose first babe was a cesarean for breech), I recommend the spinningbabies site. I also have a short torso, and I would recommend that she confirm baby's lie with an ultrasound. I hate unnecessary ultrasound, but I had three different midwives (one traditional, two CNMs) misdiagnose this babe's lie as either frank breech or oblique during palpations; we were all shocked when scan showed an LOA babe. His head was nearly engaged and everyone was mistaking his bony butt and tucked up feet as his head. Heartone location indicated a transverse, posterior lie, even though I was feeling movments that would indicate an LOA babe.

Anyway, if she has back issues, those could definitely be contributing to the baby's irregular lie. A good chiro trained in pregnancy adjustments could really help, if you can get her past her previous bad experience. Also, chiropractors are not allowed (or should not be doing) to do the Webster technique by itself until pretty late in pregnancy (34-36 weeks, I believe). They can do Webster-type adjustment earlier in conjunction with other spinal manipulations. In chiropractic, it's pretty much impossible to try to "fix" one problem area without addressing the other problem areas, too, especially as the cervical spine (near the base of the skull) has shown a relationship to comfort and baby's position in pregnancy.

That said, she could also try acupuncture now for relaxation, and acupuncture later for turning. Another very effective technique is Maya massage (www.arvigomassage.com). Physical therapy is also an excellent option, as it trains the muscles to help hold the spine/pelvis/hips in proper alignment.

I also recommend bobbing up and down in a warm, deep pool. It feels wonderful, and you can definitely feel the buoyancy encouraging baby to keep moving and changing positions.

happy heartsong · 02-08-2009, 05:33 PM

Homeopathy can help. Pulsatilla is a good one to start with.
Moxa on the point by the nail of the little toe.
The deep squats could contribute. They make the inlet of the pelvis smaller and the outlet larger. If it is trying to get down in to engage the squats would make it harder. Squatting should be reserved for when the baby is on the way out- a plus station.

sacredma · 02-08-2009, 09:01 PM

my son was transverse and i did the slant board exercise and he turned after one week. this was around 32-33 weeks

Scully · 02-08-2009, 10:32 PM

Hanging laundry worked for my mom. She went to her doc on Friday evening and he told her I was transverse but not coming any time soon so she didn't get too worried. The next day she was hanging laundry at 1:30pm, felt crampy and I was born at 2:05pm.

Doula Mary · 02-09-2009, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by midoula

I have a client that is due at the very end of April. Her baby is in transverse position. Her doc is saying baby may already be "stuck" since her torso is short. I would love to give her ideas on turning the baby. I have read all the ideas about turning a breech baby. Would the same things work for transverse? Is there anything else to try?

Chiropractor is out of the question for her. She has back issues already and had a bad experience with a chiro. She is also not interested in external version--I don't blame her!

Have her go swimming! ( a lot) Too bad she won't got to a chiropractor!

Mary

Pamala · 02-09-2009, 11:58 AM

I was going in 2 times a week for a NST. Two days before my scheduled induction at 38 weeks 2 days my daughter had turned from head down to transverse. They confirmed it with an u/s. I was so upset. They canceled my induction and scheduled a c sec. This was on a Thursday. The section was scheduled for the next Monday.
I spent the weekend in the pool and talking to the baby. I sat on the ball whenever I was not in the pool. I knew in my heart that she could and would turn.
I went in Monday morning and had them check her position. She had turned back to head down. Cancelled the section and rescheduled the induction for 3 days later.
Now she was my 7th baby and 2 pounds smaller than any of her brothers.
Now I will never let a doctor tell me that it's too late.

amymaew · 02-09-2009, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pamala

Now I will never let a doctor tell me that it's too late.

I had a client who's baby turned minutes before her scheduled section at 41+ weeks. She went on to be induced. It's never too late until labor imo. Even then, later rather than earlier labor lol.